Vehicle top-support.



R. H. PMP?. l VEHICLE TOP SUPPDRT.

AYPLIUATIGX FILED MY. 15, 1911. 1,050,167. mama Jan 14, ma

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VEHCLE TGP SUPPORT.

PPLITION FILED NOV.15,1911. 1,050, 167. Patented Jan. 14,1913

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RUDOLF H. PFAFF, OF ASHTABULA, OHIO.

VEHICLE TOPSUPPGRT.

Application filed November 15, 1911,

To NZZ for/0m it may concern.

Be it known thatl I, RuooLr H, IFArr, a citizen of the United States, and a resident ot' Ashtabula, county of Ashtabula, und State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Vehicle 'lfripgnpportg of which the following is a, specification. the principle of the invention hein;T herein my plained and the best Inode in which l have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other invention My invention relates to an improved sup portlng bow of the, folding type so geuerally used in cape tops for automobiles and carriages, and will hereafter be referred to for convenience as a carriage bow, although it is notlimited to use in carriages, but may be adapted to supporting` awnings, motor boat tops and folding shades ot' various types.

My improved carriage how provides a morel rapidly and conveniently adjusted bow than any heretofore, used, although it requires no more space when folded and is simple in operation and inexpensive to manufacture.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, thenv`v con Sists lof the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail certain mecha nism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one ot' various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used,

In said annexed d1awings:Fig11re l is a side elevation showing a cape top constructed with my im roved hows and at-v tached to the body oiP an automobile; Fig. il is a similar view but showing a smalle-r size of top; Fig, f, is a similar view to that of Fig. 2 but with the top folded; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of my improved carringe bow; Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the bow shown in Fig. 4; Fig, 6 is a sectional View on the line 6--6, Fig. 4: Fi 7 is a side elevation of a modification og my vice, which will probably be my preferred torni of construction; Fig. 8 is an end elevation or' the device shown in Fig. 7; and Fig. 9 is a section furthe line 23m-9 Fig. 7.

ln Fi 1 is shown a cape top l of taesign attached for purposes ot' illustration to an automobile `body 2, The

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan, ifi, 1913.

Serial No. 660.4r82.

top is mounted on bows 3, which comprise main supj'mrtingr means Al, here illustrated as oval rods of suitable material, and auxiliary supporting means 5, 'lhelatter comprise a supportingy member proper (i, and a second or adjusting member 7 which pivotally attached to the main supporting' means 'l at Before continuing the description of my improved how, the construction of the bow which it is designed to supplant, will be briefly outlined and the objections thereto mentioned. The long tops now in use must ol course he supported at the forward or overhaiigvingr end. This is simple matter in itself and heretofore has been accom plished by providing` members similar to my mel'ubersI t3 which were detachably connected to the supporting members 4 or their equivalents. In folding thetop the first-named members were detached and ein gag-ed in eyes adjacent to the lower ends of the supports. This construction necessitated the use of fastening means to hold the detachable members iu their positions and these had to -be removed and replaced at every adjustment of the top. The present construction eliminates all necessity for demi-,hing these members, the only thing required being a pull on the member, when they fall into bent lugs or keepers provided for them as will be further described.

The adjustingr members 7 are adapted to rest in one ot two osilions. When the top is raised the two a( justing members in each bow will extend upward from the point, of attachment. as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and will be held in keepers 9 which are mounted on the supports 4. The adjusting member is then parallel with the support` 4, The member 7 may be constructed so thaty it snugly engages the keeper or it may enter loos y, since the weight. of the member and the tension across the top will tend to keep it in place, l

When itl desired to lower the top, the members ti a repul led downward and forward thus disengaging thel members 7 from the keepers 9. The members 7 will then swing downwardly as indicated by the dotted arc in Fig, 4; but will be stopped by engagement witl a second pair of keepers 10 mounted on il lower ends of the supports 4. The m'ember 7 will preferably be enlarged or otherv wise adapted to snugly engage keeper lo since it; is desirable to have this engage thus deadening all sound nnf'i inCri-asng'l 'he snugness of the it.

The. keeper 1G is: provided with :in apen-- iure 'ii iv-hrnugh which some exibie binding means` such n gimp may 'be passed und ie; then wound around the several memiiemuy dose relation and pren l retaining them in venting any looseness 0r tendency to rattle` In practice I prefer to dispose the keepers 9 and 10 at equa distanees from the paint, of

attachment of the adjusting member, iny

which case the latter may he winpped 'wiin such soft materiai which xviii then niniie i each engagement clase and In my preferred confirmation i same main supporting ing member 7 the nnly change neng in the type of keeper members lil, which heine anni prise a locking member with an exten sion 13adapted 'when sinned tf prevent die engwgement of the Ineme Y. The keepin' is provided With'a recess *i4 in Wina-; d n is a spring 15 ici-ing on n pinxiggiae'zf 342 when operates to retain the lacking; men/nim" in n. closed position. The latier is pivnfeii ai i? by pin between the ears 1,8 of #ne keeper. This construction eiiminntes the for using a strap i@ bind the me: re/her as in my other device :uni saunie- What tigher and less inline to iniiinfn The gene-rai ifnnfiisinnnn and inn @hun nf my inipi-ovn @avenge han" n n ng been deseiined7 suine ni: ne nime emite wiii be, pninnd una It Wii ne nwel aient in@ mi; y bei' is en the si nf iin" main @n'gsgnn means n it nei', fnezefme ne se ne. plane ne the main. and aivixiiini'j; miep. u means but, in n pni'aiei ninnaU This miniers the auxiliary euppnrting nun in Fig. 5. 'The advnniajge n struction wii ne ppnrenn i' I ing means, when in the nkiff niiiitlnn Fig. 3, me practican? in ii-Amm; A fied consrnetinn 'wi'aieii 'nenni i god operating wenn@ wonfi i same members but with the mi@ into one of the other 'iwn nu* a constructinn wmid iw wir f would be tno fzmnpiim'ed and er; be of practical mine. Mim tion, which wnnia in# in@ i, `ient of my prefeiwrcd forni the pinning? nf if L, nditween he ivm n ,@,lruetion wunhi fe when widm zw Fm' n Shown amm-hed en 'ne mit' I 'iue they nre nffeanii'lif aime mi iin l side in nrder to give :i nemen nppenranvn in' reason nf heir being eeinnieiey hidi'ien t funn the @inside nf the winnie The pmclienl advantages of my new bww nre new evident. Greater minpnclne9- when feided, the absence n' {hindi-aine members,

-; less iiiibiity 0f ionsensa ami nenne, inventer phen); nf @Qns-Punti@ nrc nnw obtnnwii and .e

I; ease mi eperaton by une persing and lSini-- k few 'parte nml ms, in manufacnini i i i i i i i lo receive Suid second member wlxeneser 'Une `cluiing a. looking` member edsptei'i lo enporting means; and e keeper mourned .said main supporting ineens and being g adapted to reeeive said second memoer i whenever the latter is substfmially parallel to said main supporting means.

4. A carriage bow, comprising main supporting means, and auxiliary suppm'ing means comprising s. member ndaoted to suo ort n. part of the carriage iop and o more in the same planev of said main supporting 1 means, :1nd :i secondvmember piroslly con nected :it one end with ssii-ll mein support ing means and at the other enel with an of? set terminalof said xsbnsme member, whereby said second men'lber is enpef io move in a, lane pernllel to the 'piene el" seid first mem .er and said mein snipgioring means; and two keepers mounted on nel main supporting Ineens und being mlnpieel latter is Substantially parallel io said mein supporting mi ober.

5. A carriage bow, comprising .main sup porting means, sndf auxiliary supporting means including two pivotelly eonneoed members, one of sl members being pivot ally ett-ached to seimen supporting means, and n keeper mounted on said mein supper?.- ing means, adapted to receive ssid'pivotnlly attached member when the latter 1s swung into n position substantially parallel with said main supporing means, seid keeper including o. pivots-ily mounted lookin member adapt-ed lo engage seid pivote ly nttached member.

6. A carriage bow, comprising main supporting means, and auxiliary supporting meansV including two pivotall connected members, one of said members feng pivoM elly attached lio seid mein supporting Ineens and a keeper mounted on seid moin support ing means, adapted to receive seid pivoelly agmched member'when the latter is swung into a osition substantially parallel wih Said mam supporting means, seid keeper ingage said pivotally atao'ie@ memlier and means for retaining said locking member in engagement. y

7. A carriage bow, comprising main snp porting means,v and auxiliary' soepel-ling means includin two pivotnlly connected members, one o seid members being pivot ally attachedto said main supporng menne and a keeper mounecl on seid main supporting means adapted to receive seid pivomlly attached member when the. letter is swung into a position substantially parallel with said mem supporting means, said Keeper inoluding a. looking member edaped lo engege seid pvotelly et-tabbed member, e

ment; anni i lo not ngz-minst said loosing member.

comprising mein su@ S. A. bow.,

' eusziery suppormg i "in 'gmrnliel with 1 s, keeper melun pied io resem ni.- and C* i to l@ness egens seni thereby ceasing ze etiez: o reein v 'ing member no engsgemen.

. nerr-inge bow. comprising mein son porting nml n'onilierj." eemprisng iwo pi osll'if connected memberss one o" men'i'f beingpivolelly ut,- aoned lo mein snp'looriing means, anal wo keepers mismaeil on @nid mein support ing means one on eilier side of the point. of nteclimen of seul pivotnlly attached membei nml equally distenlt therefrome mem ber hering- EL foel @neil porion edeped to received in ono of seid sgeepers when seid member' is swung' 'ino a position substanislly parallel with seid main supporting means, and n coi'npressible covering for such thickened oorion adapted to secure snug engagemen. elween the latter and said keeper.

10. "1 earrings new, comprising mein suppormg ineens. nml nu. .nary ineens zoomkeeper. I y Signed by me ilus lh ery of -eovemoen 1.91.1.

nnnonr n. Press. 

